Election '13: Fitchburg has choices

Fitchburg has choices

ROADS: A motorist approaches a rough patch on the John Fitch Highway last winter.

FITCHBURG -- Rolande Gamache, 66, said she doesn't feel safe at night outside her Theresa Street home because her streetlights remain dark.

She said she's called every city councilor about the issue, but only Councilors-at-Large Marcus DiNatale and Dean Tran have responded. As far as Gamache is concerned, those who did not call her back won't receive her vote in this fall's City Council race.

Joseph Byrne, 71, a resident of Ward 4, said the biggest problem in the city right now is its crumbling streets.

"I had friends come up from New Jersey, and their statement to me was, 'My God, there's no streets without bumps,' " he said.

CRIME: Police search the ground for evidence after a shooting on Dec. 14 at the intersection of Orange and Cedar streets.

"I know the mayor is trying to do the best she can, because for so many years streets were repaired politically and not on a regular scheduled basis, and she's brought that back in, so hopefully we'll be moving down that road to better streets."

Unlit streetlights and crumbling streets are just two of the many issues on residents' minds heading into the homestretch of this year's City Council campaign. With the primary election for Wards 1 and 4 out of the way and the ballot officially set for the November general election, candidates now have less than two months to convince residents why they should earn their vote.

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While Mayor Lisa Wong is running unopposed for the first time since she took office six years ago, the race for City Council is shaping up to be an interesting one, with four of six wards guaranteed to see new faces representing them and some current ward councilors aiming for at-large seats.

So far, four key issues are emerging: roads, streetlights, public safety and bringing more business to the city.

LIGHTS: A streetlight near the Upper Common on Main Street. Residents would like to see more of these lit at night.

In Wards 1 and 4, in particular, public safety has come to the forefront of issues, with both wards being rocked by homicides and other violence over the spring and summer, especially Ward 4.

Candidates in those wards have pledged to do whatever they can to hire more police to make the city safer, as well as promote ways in which all residents can be more involved in keeping one another safe.

Wong has said more police does not necessarily guarantee less crime, but many current councilors have expressed a desire to hire more officers.

"We have had more police and more crime and less police and less crime," said Wong. "My public-safety strategy will be to continue to invest resources in crime-prevention strategies, which includes the schools, summer programs, parks, code enforcement and housing.

SCHOOLS: Residents would like to see city students, including those at the Arthur Longsjo Middle School, perform better.

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June Sears, 74, a Ward 4 resident, said people need to be more involved and contribute to public safety, as well as put more effort into understanding what police do. She wants to see city government choose a police chief who is like the soon-to-retire current chief, Robert DeMoura, because she believes he has done a good job.

Josephine Cormier, 91, a Ward 1 resident, wants to see the Senior Center and Director Joan Goodwin receive more support from the council, as well as residents and local businesses. As a member of the original team that started Our Father's Table, which has restaurants that regularly donate food for the less fortunate, she believes local establishments should do the same for seniors.

Lisa Wong

Phyllis Winter, 74, a resident of Ward 3, said she is happy Wong will be staying in office, because "she's not afraid to attack particular areas," but she's not very happy with the prospect of a slots parlor coming to Leominster.

After New England Wire Products announced it would be moving its operations from Fitchburg to Leominster earlier this year, some in the city said Fitchburg must do more to keep and attract business. That debate will likely focus on taxes: Fitchburg's commercial tax rate is $25.26 for every $1,000 of assessed property value, while Leominster's is $17.96.

In July, the City Council unanimously approved creating and funding a new position that will manage economic development. Wong said having a person dedicated to economic development will help retain current businesses and attract new ones to the city.

Byrne was happy to see three new people who had never run for office take a shot at the Ward 4 council seat. He said they have "brought new life to the political scene" of the ward.

"I just hope they're quick learners, so that they can get their feet wet on the budget issues, and I hope they work closely with the mayor so that we're all on the same page together," he said.

To some, there are still not enough candidates coming forward to seek office. Scott Hay, 65, a Ward 6 resident and brother of Councilor-at-Large Stephan Hay, believes this speaks to a lack of involvement on the parts of the residents of Fitchburg.

In addition to Wong, Hay's council representative, Council President Jody Joseph, is running unopposed this year, as is Ward 5 candidate Angelo Bisol.

"I think Jody does a decent job, but I think there are probably other candidates who could come in with new ideas and fresher views," Scott Hay said. "And I think even if someone else isn't elected, I think it pushes -- as is the case in any situation -- competition pushes people to do a better job."

Councilors have to be willing to speak out and present ideas, monitor the budget and "not just sit there and acquiesce and accept whatever someone else is saying, whether it's the mayor or other city councilors," Hay said.

He said the city has terrible roads and many departments have not gotten the funding they need, which he believes is the result of deferred maintenance and a small commercial tax base.

"We're not attracting business," Hay said. "It's tough, I think, for the politicians to try and do that because of the fact that we don't have any highways and easy access to Fitchburg, but you've got to increase your business base and tax base in order to really fund public safety, or fund road improvements, or schools -- any of the things we want to have in services."

Given the results of a recent state Department of Revenue review of the financial status of the city, Wong said she will be putting as much time as possible into addressing ballooning pension and other retirement costs.

Just like police have been using and analyzing data to determine where to target resources, Wong said, the schools are now doing the same, for the first time. She said better targeting of resources within the schools will lead to better student outcomes, and better schools will lead to higher property values.

The city has lost $15 million in state aid since Wong took office. The city needs to look at where it can find new revenue, Wong said, though it will likely not keep pace with how much has been lost.

Things like grants and finding savings through renegotiating health care for city employees have assisted in back-filling state-aid cuts, Wong said, but they're not enough.

The city is in the position it is today because it chose not to save for many years, she said. While $4.5 million has been saved to the stabilization account over the past five years, the city actually needs to save that amount every year to fund its liabilities, Wong said, meaning it is saving at about 20 percent of the pace it needs to catch up.

She intends to put before the council the creation of an irrevocable trust to help pay down the city's retirement liability. Due to increased recurring tax revenue that is anticipated to come from Great Wolf Lodge -- an expansion and renovation of the Holiday Inn, Coco Key Water Resort and Central Massachusetts Exposition Center -- Wong anticipates being able to save $500,000 each year.

"The bad news is we've been disciplined, but we actually need to ramp it up," she said. "But it doesn't all have to be pain to save money. Because we have money in the bank, we can actually make investments that yield returns."

Savings have already been realized by purchasing the streetlights, Wong said, and the majority have been turned back on. In the next year she hopes to convert all streetlights to energy-efficient LED lights, which she said will allow the city to turn on its remaining streetlights and continue to produce savings.

"It's a win-win," Wong said. "But a lot of win-wins require work and upfront capital. Those are two things (in which) the city did not do well for many years. I think any private business knows you need to innovate and invest to grow. We're positioning ourselves to be able to do that."

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